The Princess
“LaNeptis Kai Trios Pliomis Shutorac the Third!” Kai winced at the booming voice of her father, who was always stern, and skulked out from the pillar she’d been taken refuge behind.
“Yes, father?”
“What’s this I hear about you missing political study?” his words were gritted and gravelly, much like his salt-and-pepper prickled beard. His eyes were creased with wrinkles (caused by stress, no doubt) and obsidian eyes glared down at her. The princess, of course, stood her ground.
“It’s boring,” she said simply, “and besides, it isn’t as though I’ll need it anyways. Chenwick and I won’t be taking the throne any time soon, since you made Plutoric your heir.”
“He’s the eldest,” the man ground out, “most composed, he listens to his advisors, he’ll make an excellent king when the time comes. You and your brothers should take note from him, and you should really set a better example for them. Chenwick is set to be the future commander of our army, you can’t keep dragging him away from his studies-”
“-he’s fifteen, you can’t expect him to-”
“-and don’t get me started on how you’ve been influencing the twins. Pranks? Of all the things! In times like these, a royal family needs to be composed-”
“-father, Ryken and Rekan are seven years old, I highly doubt that our people will look down upon them because they participate in childish behavior because they’re still children!”
“You will listen when I speak to you,” Monthan snapped, “at least your brother listens.”
“Plutoric is nothing but a spineless coward ready to bend over backwards and show his belly to anyone who seems threatening,” Kai hissed, though she soon stumbled backwards as a hand shoved her backwards.
“You will not speak ill of your brother!” Monthan boomed. “He is your future king! It will do you well to give him some respect! Mitis would have never-”
“Don’t. Say. Her. Name.” Kai glared at him hatefully, hand itching to grab her lightsaber. Ever since her elder sister, Mitis, had been killed by the First Order as a threat to the royal family of Shu-torun, her father had grown cold. The maids told Kai to be patient with him, as he’d lost a wife and a daughter so soon after one another, but Kai knew it was no excuse. She had, after all, lost a mother and a sister.
“It would do you well to learn your place,” Monthan spat, though Kai thought she saw a flash of remorse in his eyes as he looked down at his hands, “if the child your mother bears is anything like you-”
“She’s not my mother,” Kai interjected, eyes cold, “and she never will be, so stop calling her that.” As much as Monthan tried to make Dominam replace the wife he had lost, she would never compare to the late Lady LaUxorem Rain, who had been adored by her children and the citizens of Shu-torun.
“Now, you listen here-”
“That is quite enough, Monthan.” Kai let out a silent sigh of relief as her grandmother gracefully slipped into the room. “I have grown tired of your attitude as of late, retire to your room.” The man looked extremely annoyed.
“Mother, I am no longer a child, you cannot send me to my room.”
“I am still Queen,” she snapped, “and until you stop acting like a child, I can do whatever I please. Now, leave us.” The grey haired man glowered before storming out of the room, eyes narrowed. Kai allowed her face to crumple as her grandmother swept her into a warm, inviting hug, rubbing circles along her back.
“He’s so different,” the girl whispered into her grandmother’s shoulder, and Trios made soothing noises.
“He has no excuse for acting like this, little one,” Trios sighed, “I excused his behavior after your mother died, but he completely lost his way after your sister died.”
Kai remembered the day her sister died as clear as day, she’d been there, of course. It still haunted her when she slept.
The first sensation she regained was her hearing. She could hear the thudding of her heartbeat in her ears, and felt the seizing of her chest, the telltale signs of a panic attack. Her breath was ragged, and the room was dark, so, so dark.
“Shhh, shhh, Kai, Kai it’s okay, listen to me, we’re gonna get out of here, understand me?” The voice of her older sister cascaded around her ears, calm in the middle of this storm. “Breathe in, one two three, breathe out, c’mon, you’ve got this.” As the younger of the two calmed down, she could begin to see the light in the corners of this prison, and the long, golden hair and kind blue eyes of her older sister, Mitis, who looked so much like their mother.
“Where are we?” Kai whispered.
“We were kidnapped by the First Order,” the golden haired girl responded in a hushed voice, “as a reminder to grandmother of ‘who she serves’. I have faith that father’s gathering the troops to come and get us, though. You and I are going to make it out of here, alright?”
“How quaint.” The sisters turned around quickly, Mitis instinctively shoving Kai behind her. Before them stood a man in a dark cloak and mask that was easily recognizable for all those who had known the destruction of Darth Vader. This was Kylo Ren. “You think you will leave here quietly.”
“You’re a fool if you think you can follow in the footsteps of Darth Vader,” Kai hissed, feeling awfully brave for someone so scared, “you’re nothing but a cowardly wannabe.” Her breath hitched as she found herself floating, an invisible force grasping her by the neck.
“Let her go,” Mitis pleaded, “she’s young, and scared, and you’ll achieve nothing by killing her.” Kai sighed in relief as she was let down by the Force. Mitis grasped onto her as though she was the source of life itself, and the twenty year old shot a glare in Kylo Ren’s direction.
“You’re right, you know,” he said quietly, “your father has sent a squadron to retrieve you, but I still haven’t gotten the message to your grandmother.” His eyes swept across the two girls, nodding at two of the five stormtroopers that accompanied him.
“Restrain the dark haired one.” Kai made a valiant struggle as she was pinned by the two, screaming curses and kicking and trying to get away. Mitis stood up, defiantly, her steely blue gaze trying to stare deep into the masked man’s soul, if he even had one.
“My grandfather ensured your planet provided us with resources by slaughtering her entire family,” he said simply, “I am doing you a favor by killing only one.” A red, vibrant light filled the room, and Kai began to try and shove the stormtroopers away from her using her gift, but that only made Kylo send the other three to help restrain her. One seemed reluctant to do so, but Kai didn’t notice. She was too busy pleading for her sister.
“I am not afraid of you.” Mitis’s voice didn’t waver.
“Then you are a fool,” Kylo rasped, and with a single jab of his blade, it was over.
Kai stopped struggling.
“I will leave you here for your father to find,” he ground out, “stormtroopers, with me.” Kai rushed to her sister’s fallen body as she was dropped, trying desperately to stop the bleeding, but to no avail.
“You can’t die,” she pleaded, over and over.
“I won’t be here to help you calm down,” Mitis said remorsefully, “you’ll have to find someone to be your rock.”
“No,” Kai said stubbornly, “you’ll do it. You’re strong, you can make it.” She looked around desperately. Why wasn’t her father here yet!?
“You and I both know that isn’t true,” Mitis laughed, coughing up blood, “I love you, little sis. Give the maids hell for me, yeah?” Mitis died with a smile on her face, eyes fluttering closed softly.
Monthan walked in on this scene, his younger daughter sobbing and rocking his eldest’s body close to her chest, white tunic covered in blood, and his heart grew cold.
“I couldn’t save her,” Kai whispered, “it’s my fault, if I’d just kept my mouth shut and used the Force I could’ve-”
“Don’t you blame your sister’s death on yourself,” said Trios sternly, “I spent years blaming myself for the death of my family, but in the end, the blame rests only upon the evil that killed them. Kylo Ren is to blame for the death of your sister, and I fear that your father and elder brother will be swayed to his side.” She took a deep breath.
“It is for this reason that I will be sending you away,” again, Kai’s breath hitched, “for your own safety. He’s grown increasingly violent with you. I called in a few favors with the Resistance, and you will be safe there.”
“What about the boys?”
“Chenwick, Ryken, and Rekan will be sent abroad for training with their Uncle Johun,” she responded, “I have already lost one grandchild to the Dark Side, I don’t plan on losing any more.” She took a deep breath. “It is because of my fears that I am going to quietly remove your father from the position of heir, and ensure the position fall directly to you.”
“But grandmother, I’m not suited to be a queen.”
“I have complete faith in you,” she consoled, “your Uncle Johun and Aunt Maeve will guide you should I pass, but it will take a while before your father finds out. I still have a lot of life in me, but I need to make sure the future of Shu-torun remains protected.” Kai nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“I won’t fail you, grandmother.”
“I know you won’t, you’re too stubborn to fail.”